Phoenix

Nuisance wildlife removal has unfortunately become more necessary as we encroach more and more into their territory. The term nuisance wildlife is used when referring to animals who live in our area but are now encroaching into our homes or causing damage to property. Why does this happen? Obviously there will always be wild animals and we wouldn’t want a world where they didn’t exist, but what causes them to become a problem?

In most cases it’s because their habitat is changing. It’s shrinking as more homes and neighborhoods are being built, and commercial development is taking place around us. Sometimes their natural enemies have been removed, so the population numbers are no longer being kept in check. As their numbers grow and there are fewer places to find food and shelter, it’s only natural that they turn to our homes and property for shelter and survival. And when they do, they invariably cause property damage and contamination that requires professional animal removal.

Areas that once provided a home for wildlife have been removed to make way for housing, commercial buildings, shopping centers, roads, and parking lots. All of this destruction is forcing animals into communities, increasing interactions between animals and humans, and leading to a conflict that poses a danger for both.

When animals lose not only their habitat but also the prey that serves as a food source, they find themselves needing to turn to other sources. As a result, we see an increase in animals getting into garbage, destroying gardens and crops, and attacking pets or livestock. Encounters with humans can become dangerous, leading to injury — or even death. These increased interactions have lead humans to view them as a nuisance, putting them in danger of being killed in retaliation, or having their populations decreased through legal and illegal hunting practices.

We can hope for a peaceful coexistence once we stop viewing wildlife as a nuisance and remind ourselves that they are only trying to live and survive, just as we are. Humane, non-lethal approaches to population management and prevention of human-animal conflict are a reasonable approach to hunting, trapping, and other methods that result in the killing of animals.

So what can we do to help keep wild animals from potentially becoming a problem or invading your home? The best ways are to know some common-sense steps you can take to make your home unappealing to them so you don’t ever have a problem with nuisance wildlife.

Inspect your property to see if there are any cracks or holes where smaller animals like squirrels, rats, or bats could potentially get in and make a home.

Don’t leave any food outside for pets, and close up all garbage containers to make it hard to get into. This will keep raccoons, opossums, and other animals from coming around looking for a meal.

Keep tree limbs cut far away from your house so squirrels don’t have a way to climb onto it.

Inspect every few months for signs that animals may have found a way in. Have a good pest control company do an inspection. You could be surprised at what they find.

If you hear noises in the attic, or see signs that armadillos are digging up your yard, it’s time to call for an animal removal service.

Phoenix Pest Management & Wildlife Control has been humanely trapping and removing animals for home and business owners for almost 20 years. They are trained, experienced, and guarantee their work. For more helpful tips and information on animal removal, go to our Google + page.